Dump-wagon.



PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

M. G. ERNSBERGER.

DUMP WAGON. APPLICATION I'ILBD JUNE 8. 1903.

Azz-mwy STATES Patented February 28, 1905.

MILLARD C. ERNSBERGER, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

DUIV'IP-WAGON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,939, dated February28, 1905,

' application filed June 8,1903. Serial No. 160,586.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILLAm) (J. ERNSB nneun, of Auburn, in the county ofCayuga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Dump-W'agons, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to improvements in dump-wagons in which thedump-box is divided longitudinally to form opposite symmetricaldumping-sections each having an inclined bottom wall convergingdownwardly toward the other, said sections having their adjacent sidesopen and are pivotally hung at points slightly above and inside of theirlongitudinal centers of gravity.

The primary object of this invention is to construct and mount twotilting box-sections in such manner that when they are closed and loadedthe load is disposed with reference to the pivotal axes of the sectionsso that the pressure of the load which tends to open the sections issomewhat in excess of that which tends to close the sections, so thatwhen the sections are released or unlocked from each other the load willforce them apart and discharge itself automatically by its own gravity,while, on the other hand, the sections are hung in such manner that whenopen by the excess pressure of the load between the pivotal axes and theload is discharged the lower ends are automatically forced together bythe mere gravity of said sections.

Further objects will appear in the subse quent description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end View, partly in section, of adump-wagon embodying the various features of my invention. Fig. 2 is anenlarged top plan of the front and rear ends of the parts seen in Fig.1, the central portion being broken away.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

In carrying out the objects of my invention 1 provide an opensupporting-frame 1,

which is adapted to be mounted upon the front and rear axles of asuitable runninggear (not shown) and preferably consists of oppositeparallel side walls 2 and front and rear end walls 3 and 4:, which areunited to each other in any well-known manner to form a substantial anddurable frame for supporting dump-box sections 5 and 6. These dumpboxsections are duplicates of each other and are pivotally hung upon theend walls 3 and a, with their axes lying in substantially the samehorizontal plane, the tops and inner sides of the sections being open,the open sides facing each other, and therefore when the box'sectionsare closed with their meeting faces together they constitute practicallya single box or receptacle for receiving and retaining the load.- Eachof these box-sections comprises OIlpOSlllO end walls 7, inclined bottomwalls 8, and outer side walls 5), the end walls 7 of each section beingdisposed in upright substantially parallel planes coincident with thoseof the other section, so that when the box-sections are closed theirmeeting edges abut against each other and lie in a vertical plane midwaybetween the side walls 9. The bottom walls 8 incline downwardly andinwardly from the lower edges of the side walls 9 and normally abutagainst each other at the bottom edges or apex of the box when thesections are closed. Each of these sections is provided with a pair ofstuds or metal trunnions 10, which are secured to and projectlongitudinally from the end walls 7 said trunnions being seated insuitable metal bearings 11, projecting inwardly from the end walls 3 and4.. I

The axes of each pair of trunnions for each section are coincident andare disposed in lines slightly inside of but near their longitudinalcenters of gravity, so that the portions at the outside of and beneaththe pivotal axes are slightly heavier than the portions at the insideand above said axes, whereby the lower ends of the sectionsautomatically swing from their open positions to their closed positionsand when empty are held in their closed positions by the superior weightat the outside and be ncath the axes. ()n the other hand, these axes areso arranged with reference to the degree of inclination of the bottomwalls 8 that when the sections are loaded owing to the inclined positionof the bottom walls the load is thrown inwardly and downwardly towardthe center between the axes of the sections, and therefore exerts awedging action upon the bottom Walls which is concentrated toward theapex of the box and tends to separate or open the sections, but isprevented from doing so by a suitable locking device, presentlydescribed. It is also apparent from the construction just described thatwhile the load exerts a wedging action upon the bottom walls of thesections to open said sections this wedging force is only comparativelylight and does not represent in any degree the superimposed load. meanswhich may be employed to hold the sections together is only slight.

Any desired means may be employed forlocking the meeting edges of thesections in their closed position; but I have here shown a lever 12 assecured to a rock-shaft 13 and as provided with a hook-shaped extremity14:, which is movable into and out of engagement with a pin 15, therock-shaft 13 being mounted upon one of the box-sections beneath itsbottom Wall, and the pin 15 is secured to the other section, so thatwhen the sections are brought together the hook-shaped extremity 14Eautomatically interlocks with the pin 15. The opposite end of therock-shaft 13 is provided with a hook 14, similar to the hook 14, forengaging a pin 15', similar to 15, so that when the shaft 18 is rockedboth of the hooks 1 1 and 14' are thrown into and out of engagement withtheir respective pins 15 and 15.

The lever 12 extends upwardly to a position in convenient reachingdistance from the seat of the vehicle and is provided with anoperating-handle 16, said lever being held in its normal lockingposition by a spring 17. The meeting edges of the end walls of thebox-sections extend above the horizontal plane of the axes of thetrunnions and are therefore cut away in lines concentric with thetrunnions to permit the rocking. or tilting of the sections, and thespace thus formed is closed by suitable extensions 18, which are securedto the inner faces of the end walls of one of the sections and lap uponthe inner face of the adjacent end wall.

The inclination of the bottom walls and the relative position of theirpivotal axes are important factors in accomplishing the desiredautomatic action of the box-sections that is, in permitting the load toautomatically discharge itself when the sections are unlocked--whereupon said sections immediately and automatically close by their owngravity. as soon as the load is discharged. In order that the importanceof these factors may be more clearly understood, it appears to benecessary to consider three possible load conditionsviz., first, a fullload, such as would entirely iill the box-sections either level or heapmeasure; second, a partial load resting on the bottom walls between thevertical planes of the pivotal axes of the box-sections, and, third, a

Therefore the strain upon any locking partial load supported on thebottom walls outside, it possible, of the vertical planes of said axes.In the first instance, which is most common, a large percentage of theload is carried on the portion of the bottom wall outside of thevertical planes of the axes of the sections, while the preponderance ofthe load is carried by the bottom walls between said planes and operatesas a wedge against the lower portions of the inclined walls to separateor open the same, while at the same time if each box-section and itshalf of the load were considered as separate from the other the tendencymight be to hold the box-section in its normal closed position. Ittherefore follows that this tendency of the box-sections to open ismainly due to the wedging action of the compact load between thevertical planes of the axes of the swinging box-sections. Under thesecond condition, the load being entirely within vertical planes of theaxes, the wedging force acting to open the sections is of course greaterby reason of the fact thatno exterior load is to be overcome. In thethird instance the load would hold the boxsections closed were it notfor the inclination of the bottom walls, which precipitate the load tothe center and produce the same conditions and effects as described forthe second condition.

It is now clear that no matter what the load conditions may he thebox-sections when unlocked are opened automatically by the mere gravityand wedging action of the load at the apex of the box, and the sectionsare also automatically closed by their own gravity when empty.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. Two dump-box sections pivotally hung at points near theirlongitudinal centers ,of gravity so that their lower ends will closetogether automatically, in combination with locking members arranged inthe ends of the sections and operating automatically to lock the memberstogether when the latter have as sumed a closed position.

2. In a dump-wagon, oppositely-arranged dump-box sections havingadjacent open sides and pivotally hung at points inside their longitudinal centers of gravity and laterally of and outside of the meetingline of the sections, said sections being so shaped and proportionedthat the capacity of each is greater on the inside of a vertical planeintersecting the axis than on the outside of the same.

3. In a dump-wagon, oppositely-arranged dump-box sections opening towardeach other and pivotally hung inside their longitudinal centers ofgravity and laterally of and outside of their meeting line, saidsections being formed with downwardly and inwardly inclinedstraightwalls and so constructed and arranged that when closed the capacity ofeach is greater within a vertical plane projected through its pivotalaxis than on the outsideol such plane and so constructed and arrangedthat the portion of each section outside of and beneath the pivotal axisof the same is heavier than the portion at the inside and above saidaxis whereby the lower ends of the sections automatically swing fromtheir open positions to their closed positions and whereby the sectionsautomatically spread apart under the action of a load.

4:. In a dump-wagon, a supporting-frame,in combination with two dump boxsections pivotally h ung on the frame at points inside theirlongitudinal centers of gravity and each being so pivotally hunglaterally of and outside the meeting-point of the sections and havingdownwvardly and inwardly inclining straight walls whereby the loadexerts a light wedging action upon the lower portions of the bottomwalls to separate or open the same to discharge the load, the emptysections closing by their own gravity.

5. In a dump-wagon, a supporting-frame, in combination with two dump-boxsections pivotally hung on the frame at points inside their longitudinalcenters of gravity and having downwardly and inwardly inclining wallswhere by the load exerts a light wedging action upon the lower portionsof the bottom walls to separate or open the same to discharge the load,the empty sections closing by their own gravity, and movable andantomatically-operating means to lock said sections in their closedposition.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day 01" June,1903.

MlLLARl) C. ERNSBERGER.

Witnesses:

ALLAN O. CARPENTER, HENRY G. TRIPP.

